Review of "The Cat of the Baskervilles: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery" by Vicki Delany

In this 3rd book in the 'Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries', bookstore owner/amateur sleuth Gemma Doyle investigates the death of an actor. The book works fine as a standalone.

*****

Gemma Doyle moved from England to West London, Massachusetts to manage 'The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium.'





Gemma co-owns the establishment with her nonagenarian great uncle Arthur Clive Doyle, who claims distant kinship with Arthur Conan Doyle - the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Spry Uncle Arthur is often off on excursions, or socializing with lady friends, leaving Gemma in charge of the business.

Gemma also co-owns the adjoining shop, 'Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room', which is run by her best friend Jayne Wilson.





It's tourist season in Massachusetts, and the West London Theater Festival is putting on 'The Hound of the Baskervilles', a play in which Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate tales of a huge supernatural killer dog.



A famous British actor of stage and screen, Sir Nigel Bellingham, is slated to star as Holmes, and he's expected to draw a big crowd.



Sir Nigel, whose most famous movie was made forty years ago, is now an out-of-shape alcoholic with gray hair, but the play's director Pat thinks the actor will be up to the task.

Before the play's opening night, Theater Festival producer Rebecca Stanton hosts a fundraiser at her home, to raise money for the event. The fundraiser is catered by Jayne Wilson, and attendees pay $200 each to have tea and refreshments with cast members of The Hound of the Baskervilles.



Gemma helps Jayne prepare the treats, which include coconut cupcakes; smoked salmon and cream cheese roulettes; and finger sandwiches made with roast beef and arugula; cucumber and cream cheese; and egg salad.







Jayne's mother Leslie Wilson - who does volunteer work for the Theater Festival - was an actress decades ago and worked with Sir Nigel.



Leslie tries to reminisce with the actor at the fundraiser, but Sir Nigel gets drunk, embarrasses himself, and disappears. When a search is mounted the thespian is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. and Leslie - who was the last person seen with Sir Nigel - is a person of interest to the detectives.

Gemma is certain Leslie is innocent and mounts her own investigation. This annoys Detective Ryan Ashburton and his partner Detective Louise Estrada, who don't like Gemma interfering in police business.





Gemma's relationship with Ryan is especially tricky since they used to date and still harbor feelings for each other. Gemma is a law unto herself, and she hides evidence, does a spot of breaking and entering, and keeps information from the cops. Gemma's sleuthing pays off however, and she eventually solves the case.

Additional characters add interest to the story. These include: Gerald - Sir Nigel's dogsbody, who's disrespected by the actor; Eddie - Sir Nigel's handsome understudy, who has an eye for the ladies; Renee, a haughty actress with a crush on Eddie; Grant - a dealer in rare books; Donald - a retired lawyer and Sherlock Holmes aficionado; Ashleigh - Gemma's bookstore assistant, who has a different wardrobe theme for every day;



Moriarty - the bookstore cat who likes everyone except Gemma; and more.



This is an entertaining cozy mystery, recommended to fans of the genre.

Rating: 3 stars